1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand lamps and more particularly, to a multipurpose hand lamp, which provides illumination, cigarette lighting, battery charging and electric power supplying functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
When the light in a car is insufficient, for example, when at night, a supplementary light source may be necessary as a person inside the car is going to control the air-conditioner or car stereo system or to pick up food or beverage. The supplementary light source in a car is a night lamp mounted on the bottom side of the roof that is not freely angularly adjustable to any desired direction.
Therefore, people may prepare a hand lamp in a car for use when desired. A hand lamp uses a dry battery to provide the necessary working voltage. However, when the power of the dry battery is used up, a new supply of dry battery is necessary. Further, in order to keep the air inside a car fresh, a car may be provided with a power socket for power output instead of a cigarette lighter. It may be inconvenient to a cigarette smoker to drive a car that is not equipped with a cigarette lighter.
Taiwan Utility Model Publication Number M363408 discloses a vehicle cigarette lighter entitled “Mobile battery charger and cigarette lighter for car”, which comprises a housing, a starter located on the surface of the housing, a circuit board mounted in an accommodation camber inside the housing and electrically connected with the starter, a charging/discharging device, for example, a rechargeable battery set between a positive terminal and a negative terminal at one side of the housing and electrically connected with the circuit board, an electric heater arranged on the housing at a predetermined location and electrically connected with the charging/discharging device, and a DC connector arranged on the circuit board and electrically connected with the charging/discharging device for charging the charging/discharging device.
The positive terminal and the negative terminal of the aforesaid prior art design are arranged to provide a configuration shaped like a cigar head for insertion into a power socket in a car so that the battery power of the car can be transmitted into the circuit board to charge the charging/discharging device subject to the operation of a charging circuit of the circuit board. Further, when switched on the starter, the electric heater (or light source) is turned on. Further, the DC connector is electrically connectable to an external mobile electronic device, for example, cell phone to charge its battery.
According to the aforesaid prior art design, the starter is switchable to move a spring plate among an electric heater conduction zone, a battery conducting zone and a light source conducting zone for connection, thereby providing electric energy to the electric heater or the light source. The operation of this sliding starter design is complicated. Further, the light source simply uses a LED lamp for illumination. This design does not provide any light reflecting or condensing means around the LED lamp to enhance the illumination. Further, when wishing to light a cigarette, the user must open the protective cover and then move the control lever of the starter to shift the spring plate into contact with the electric heater conduction zone and battery conducting zone to form an electric loop. This operation procedure is complicated, and an improvement to simplify the operation is necessary. Further, the charging/discharging device is fixedly set between the positive terminal and the negative terminal, not replaceable. When the charging/discharging device is damaged, the user cannot replace the charging/discharging device and shall have to send the whole assembly to the supplier or distributor for repair.